Ductor roll mechanism for ink fountains



Oct. 10, 1961 w. GROBMAN DUCTOR ROLL MECHANISM FOR INK FOUNTAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1957 mvzwroa:

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IIIIII III WILLIAM GROBMAN ATTYS,

Oct. 10, 1961 w. GROBMAN DUCTOR ROLL MECHANISM FOR INK FOUNTAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1957 mvsuron: WILLIAM GROBMAN ATTYS.

3,003,416 Patented Oct. 10, 1961 United States Patent Oflice 3,003,416 DUCTOR ROLL MECHANISM FOR INK FOUNTAINS William Grobman, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Samuel 1}1. Langston Co., Camden, N.J., a corporation of New ersey Filed July 15, 1957, Ser. No. 671,918 16 Claims. (Cl. 101-350) I A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel ductor roll assembly for ink fountains having improved structural and functional characteristics.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of an improved mounting for the roll affording a controlled degree of float for each of the opposite ends of the roll and an inherent self-adjustability to the faces of founta n and distributing rolls between which the ductor roll operates.

Another object, also related structurally and functionally to the ductor roll mount, is to provide novel means tending normally to retain the roll in an intermediate or neutral position between the said fountain and distributing rolls.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ductor roll operating means designed to afford, in conjunction with the aforesaid lfloating mount, uniform pressure contact between the ductor roll and each of the aforesaid fountain and distributing rolls over the entire axial length of the contact area.

Still another object is to provide a ductor'roll operating means capable of adjustment to vary in infinitely small increments, and while the fountain is in operation if desired, the ratio of the number of ductor roll operations to printing cylinder rotation.

g The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an ink fountain comprising a ductor roll assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of'the hydraulic system of the ductor roll operating mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a. diagrammatic sectional View of a modified fluid pressure cylinder for actuating the ductor roll, and

'FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view of still another roll actuating cylinder.

With reference to the drawings, the ink fountain shown comprises a fountain roll 1 and blade 2 forming the respective longitudinal side walls of an ink reservoir of which one end wall is shown at 3. The body of ink within this reservoir is indicated at 4. An oscillatory ductor roll 5 picks up ink from the roll 1 and transfers it to an axially reciprocated distributor roll 6 from whence it is carried to the printing cylinder by an intervening series of rolls of which one is shown at 7. In the present instance, the peripheral portions at least of the rolls 1 and 6 are made of steel, while the contact surfaces of the ductor roll 5 and of the roll 7 are preferably of resilient composition. Insofar as described, the fountain may be considered conventional.

In accordance with the invention each of the ends 8,8 of the ductor roll shaft is mounted in an arm 9 of a compound or bell crank lever 11. Except for their right and left hand relation, the levers at the opposite ends of the roll are identical. Each comprises a hub portion 12 having a cylindrical bore 13 which in assembly receives a pin 14, said pin projecting from a cylindrical member 15 adjustably mounted in the frame 16 of the machine and hereinafter more fully described.

Closely fitted to and embracing the pin 14 is a sleeve 17. The sleeve is somewhat greater in axial length than the pin 14 and seats at one end against the proximate end face of the cylindrical member 15 of which the pin 14 constitutes an integral part. A disc 19 seats against the outer end of the sleeve 17 and is held in place by a screw 21 threaded into the end of the pin 14. When the screw 21 is tightened the disc 19 forcibly confines sleeve 17 between the surface 18 and the inner face of disc 19 so that the sleeve in effect becomes a fixed part of the pin structure.

A rubber or like resilient sleeve 22 is confined under radial compression between the sleeve 17 and the cylin-' drical surface of the bore 13 of the lever 11, and the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of this sleeve 22 are frictionally or otherwise anchored on the outer surface of the sleeve 17 and the surface of the said bore. The resilient sleeve 22 supports the lever 11 on the pin with the axis or" the bore 13 in approximate alignment with the axis of the pin. In the absence of torsional strain upon the lever, the sleeve 22 will retain the lever resiliently in a predetermined position of angularity with respect to the pin axis. When torsional strain is placed upon the lever tending to turn it around the axis of the pin, the resilient material of the sleeve 22 will be stressed in shear and will permit angular displacement of the lever on the pin; and when torsional strain is released, the sleeve 22 will act automatically to return the lever 11 to its original position. It will be noted also that the sleeve 22 affords relative parallel displacements of the true axes of the bore 13 and pin 14 and also relative angular adjustments of these axes.

The arm 9 of lever 11 is bifurcated, the respective bifurcations being indicated in FIGURE 3 by the reference numerals 23 and 24. Fitted into the crotch between these bifurcations is a collar 25, and this collar, whose cross-sectional shape is shown in FIGURE 3, has a peripheral channel 26 which receives the inner edges of the bifurcations 23 and 24 and crotch as shown in FIG- URE 2 so as to hold the collar in place within the arm 9. The collar is anchored against retraction from the arm by a yoke 27 which is secured by screws 28, see FIGURE 3, threaded into the outer ends of the bifurcations 23 and 24. The collar 25 provides a support for the outer race ring 29 of an anti-friction bearing of whichthe inner race ring 31 embraces the shaft end 8 of roller 5. The inner ring is confined on the shaft end by a nut 32 threaded on the extremity of the shaft as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and the outer ring is seated against the inner wall surface of the collar 25. A cap 33 fits into the outer end of the collar 25 to enclose the end of the shaft and the hearing. The roller 5 is thus supported in antifriction hearings on the arm 9 of lever 11.

The cylindrical member 15 of the pin structure described above has a radial flange 34 at its inner end which engages a confronting surface 35 of the frame 16. A screw 36 passes through a disc 37 and is threaded into the outer end of the cylindrical member 15, the disc bearing against the proximate frame surface at the outer end of the bore 38 in the frame in which the cylindrical member 15 is mounted. The member 15 is thus clamped and normally held immovable in the frame. Release of the screw as permits angular adjustment of the member 15 in the bore 38 so as to adjust the roll 5 to a normal position between the rolls 1 and 6 as shown for example in PEG. 1.

The lever 11 has a second arm 39 to the outer end of which is connected by way of links 41 and pins 42 and 43 one end of a piston rod 44, see FIGURE 1. This rod extends from a piston 49, see FIG. 4, in a fluid pressure cylinder 45 suitably mounted in the frame; The opposite ends of the cylinder are connected through ducts 46 and 47 with a suitable fluid pressure source 59, see FIG. 4. The rod 44 is extended at the opposite side or" the piston spreader roll 6, and the nuts 52 and 53 provide a means 7 for limiting the contact pressure between the rolls.

As previously set forth the levers 11 are identical except for their relatively reversed positions and so also are the mountings for these levers described above; and

each of the levers is provided with an actuating cylinder 45 for oscillating the roll 5. The invention contemplates a hydraulic system in which both of the cylinders 45 are connected to a common fluid pressure source for simulta'neous operation. A system of this character is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this system the ducts 46 and 47 are common to both the cylinders 45, and these ducts are connected, through pipes 54 and 55, a control valve 56, and pipes 57 and 58, with the source of fluid pressure represented by a pump 59, a motor st and sump 62. Pressure fluid drawn from the sump is forced by the pump into pipe 58 which contains apressure relief valve 6!) and thence either to pipe 54 or 55 depending on the position of the valve element 63. In the position in which the said element is shown in FIG. 4 the pressure will be applied to the pipe 55 and pipes 4 7, and to the right hand ends of the cylinders 45 and the left-hand ends thereof will now be connected through pipes 46' and 54, valve 56, and pipe 64 to the pipe 57 and sump 62. The ultimate movement of the roll toward the roll 6 will be determined by the contact of the one roll with the other or by the position of the nuts 53 on the rods 48 in respect to the stop flange 49.

It willbe noted by reference to FIG. 4 that the movable element 63 of the valve 56 is urged to the right as viewed in the drawings by a spring as and is moved to the left against the pressure of the spring by cam 66. Rotation of the cam therefor is accompanied by a reciprocation of the valve element 63 between the position shown in FIG. 4 and the alternative extreme position in which the valve will connect the pipe 55 with sump pipe 57, and pipe 54 with the pressure pipe 58, the pipe 6 5 then being closed by the valve. In this latter valve position therefor the fluid pressures will be applied through pipe 46 to the left ends of cylinders 45 while the right hand end of the cylinders are connected to the sump thereby oscillating the lever 11 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 and bringing the surface of the roll 5 into contact with the fountain roll 1. The ultimate position of the roll 5 with respect to the roll 1 will be determined by the contact of the one roll with the other or by adjustment of the nuts 53 on the rod 48 in relation to the stop flange 49. Rotation of the cam 66 thereby acts to bring the roll 5 alternately into operative relation with the rolls 1 and 6 for transfer of ink from the former roll to the latter in known manner.

Means is provided for regulating the ratio of the oscillations of the roll 5 to fountain roll rotation. In FIGURE 4 the shaft of roll .7 is indicated at 67 and this shaft is driven through gearing 68from the main machine drive 69. Roll 1 is driven from an independent motor (not shown). A gear element 74 on shaft 67 meshes with a gear 71 constituting an element of a variable speed unit 72 through which the cam 66 is driven. Normally the ratio of cam speed to the rotational speed of shaft 57 will remain constant, but the ratio may be varied by adjustment of variable speed unit 72 through the medium of lever 74. The speed of roll 1 may be adjusted by regulation of its individual drive; and the speed ratio of the cam to roll 1 is also variable through adjustment of the unit 72.

i It will be understood that transfer of ink as described does not necessarily require actual contact between the "3,003,416 r i a ductor roll and the surfaces of rolls 1 and 6. Contact in the operative sense may be confined, for example, to the ink films carried by the roll'surfaces. The roll operating device described above, including nuts 52 and 53, affords a simple and extremely 'accurate means for adjusting the ultimate position of the ductor roll at the ends of its traverse movement, and at each end of the roll independently, so as to obtain uniform roll and filmcon tact over the full axial width of the film with consequent uniform transfer, Where actual roll to ,roll contact is desired, the same adjustment means insures uniform surface engagement with limited pressures over the entire lengths of the rolls.

The dual function 'of the resilient sleeves 22 to permit relative adjustments between the ends of the ductor roll and to return the roll after oscillation to a predetermined neutral or normal position has been mentioned above. It will be noted that these functions may be obtained by use of the resilient sleeve in one only of the levers 11, although its use in both levers is preferable. It will be noted also that the second function per se may be obtained by other means such, for example, as by use of springs 75, 75 in the roll actuating cylinders, one at each side of the piston as illustrated in FIG. 5.

' It will be noted also that in some instances it may be desirable to have the ductor roll in its normal position in operative contact with one or other of the fountain and spreader rolls, and that in such cases a singleacting cylinder 76, see FIG. 6, operative by fluid pressure to traverse the roll in one direction only would suflice, a spring 77 acting to return the piston to the normal position in one end of the cylinder.

I claim:.

1. In an ink fountain, a ductor roll and an oscillatory mount for said roll, said mount including a bearing for each end of the roll, separate independently movable arms providing supports for each bearing, coaxial journals for said arms providing an axis of oscillation for the roll, and resilient means interposed between at least one of the arms and its journal and forming a resilient support for the arm on the journal and adjustable limit stop means to;1 each said arm at each position of oscillation of said r0 a 2. An ink fountain according to claim 1 wherein the resilient means consists of a rubber sleeve.

3. An ink fountain according to claim 2 wherein the sleeve is confined radially between a said arm and its journal.

4. An ink fountain according to claim 3 including means for independently oscillating each said arm on the said journals.

' 5. An ink fountain according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve yields in shear under action of the oscillating means to permit relative angular displacement of the arms and said journal. 7

6. An ink fountain according to claim 4 wherein the oscillating means comprises a fluid pressure cylinder independently connected to each of the arms and to a common source of pressure fluid.

7. An ink fountain according to claim 6 including valve means for admitting pressure to the cylinders simultaneously from said source.

8. In an ink fountain comprising spaced fountain and spreader rolls, a ductor roll, support means for said ductor roll including individually adjustable and movable arms for each end of said ductor roll, means for independently moving each said arm to traverse the ductor roll into contact alternately with the fountain and spreader rolls to transfer ink from the one to the other, and resilient means operatively associated with at least one said arm and providing for self-adjustment of the ductor roll upon inactivation of the arm moving means after contact with the fountain or spreader roll into relatively parallel alignment wifli but out of vcontact with the faces of both said latter rolls.

9. In an ink fountain as claimed in claim 8, independ ent adjustable stop limit means for each said arm operable for adjusting the ultimate position of the ductor roll at the ends of its traverse movement, and at each end of the roll independently.

10. An ink fountain as claimed in claim 8, said arms being pivotally mounted, and a bearing for the ductor roll ends in each said arm.

11. An ink fountain according to claim wherein the resilient means consists of a resilient sleeve interposed between at least one of the arms and its pivot.

12. An ink fountain according to claim 11 wherein the sleeve is anchored to the confronting surfaces of arm and pivot and operates in shear to permit angular displacements of the arm and pivot about the axis of the latter.

13. An ink fountain according to claim 12 wherein the pivots are angularly adjustable about their respective axes to adjust the arms to a desired position of ductor roll between the fountain and spreader rolls.

14. An ink fountain according to claim 8 wherein the means for moving the ductor roll support is hydraulically actuated.

An ink fountain according to claim 14 wherein the said hydraulically actuated means comprises a cylinder and piston unit for each end of the ductor roll, and means for applying pressure fluid simultaneously to said cylinders.

16. In an ink fountain comprising a frame, spaced fountain and spreader rolls journalled in the frame, a ductor roll, oscillatory means for supporting the ductor roll in the flame between the fountain and spreader rolls, fluid pressure means for oscillating the said support means to bring the ductor roll into contact alternately with the fountain and spreader rolls, and resilient means interposed between the ductor roll and the frame and operable in the absence of pressure in said fluid pressure means tending to move the ductor roll into contact with either the fountain or spreader rolls to move the ductor roll into relatively parallel alignment with said fountain and spreader rolls but out of contact with both of the latter rolls, said oscillatory support means including a roll-supporting arm for each end of the roll, said resilient means being structurally associated with each of said arms, said arms being pivotally mounted on the frame, and the said resilient means comprising resilient sleeves interposed between the arms and their respective pivots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 618,252 Meyrueis Jan. 24, 1899 742,249 Spalckhaver Oct. 27, 1903 956,316 Droitcour Apr. 23, 1910 1,183,623 Blaine May 16, 1916 1,210,156 Elsworth Dec. 26, 1916 2,230,503 Roesen Feb. 4, 1941 2,590,711 Krotz Mar. 25, 1952 2,693,755 Fitchett et al. Nov. 9, 1954 2,740,622 Hickman Apr. 3, 1956 2,788,741 Stobb Apr. 16, 1957 2,915,306 Hickman Dec. 1, 1959 

